JOIN USVotes for the municipal election have been cast, leaving contestants and voters with a tense wait while the results are collected.
Ironically, however, election staff, hard-pressed to collate the poll results, are desperately awaiting a breather from all the election work.
Kolar
On Thursday, the city streets with packed with voters. People had gathered at government offices, banks, hotels, tea stalls, shops, everywhere, with discussion revolving around the outcome of the polls.
Many who had been denied a chance to vote were even found cursing the taluk administration. On the following morning, the streets wore an empty, deserted look, showing the extent to which election fever gripped the city — little surprise considering the election was of the “never-before-seen” variety.
The election’s unique nature had much to do with the fact that many potential voters found that they had a personal stake in the elections — not because it could perhaps lead to more effective governance, but because of all personal benefits it offered them — new pressure cookers, sarees, and other similar such incentives.
Many voters were openly in praise of those newer candidates who were capable of offering them such riches, even before the election was won, and expressed ridicule for those candidates from five years ago, who had been capable of offering no more than Rs 250 per person.
Political observers believe that municipal poll candidates have actually spent more money on campaigning than have Assembly election candidates.
Srinivaspur
Leaders from all parties expressed confidence of victory. The TMC has 23 seats. While the JD(S) declared that 'it will definitely win' 20 seats, the figure given by the Congress too is the same. Nobody, however, has dared to comment on the outcome of the remaining three seats.
“The BJP has contested the maximum number of seats, 15, this time and is confident of winning at least four of them,” said Member of Legislative Council Y A Narayanaswamy. “The party members will have a major hand in deciding the president and vice-president of the Municipality.”
The municipal polls are often considered a precursor to the Assembly polls. With the Assembly elections not too far off, the outcome of the municipal polls is a major point of concern for both the JD(S) and the Congress. Party politics here are often valid only on paper.
The result of any poll depends on the level of popularity of former Speaker of the Assembly K R Ramesh Kumar, a member of the Congress and Legislator and member of the JD(S) G K Venkatashiva Reddy.
There were several cases of party-hopping before the municipal polls. Many such candidates have even contested the polls. Both citizens and party members are curious to find what voters thought about such activities.
Srinivaspur town has had the highest voter turnout in the district this time, at 82.68 per cent. There are heated discussions on the possible expenditure of candidates for campaigning, but the citizens have breathed a sigh of relief that there were no untoward incidents during the polls.
Bagepalli
Even as they wait for the results of the municipal polls, betting agents are busy exploiting the curiosity of candidates and voters.
In contrast to the elections so far, this time, there is a greater expectation of a neutral outcome. All party leaders have declared, with utter confidence, that their candidate will win with flying colours.
At the same time, they have indulged in betting lakhs of rupees on who will win the polls. There have also been cases of candidates visiting temples, including Thirupati, to offer prayers for a victory.
The Congress has ruled the Municipality for 60 years. In the last elections, of the 23 seats in the TMC, the Congress won nine, the CPM nine, JD(S) five and Independents three.
In the last five years, however, while some members of the TMC approved permanent development projects, several others have set into motion only small projects.
Issues like drinking water, street lamps, housing, and good roads still remain a distant dream for citizens, but most agree that there is a possibility that the town will see a change in the ruling party.